Should nurses be allowed to strike?

music · Nov 17, 2003

You may be interested to see how a grassroots group of nurses feel about this issue at http://www.onevoice-ourvoice.com

I personally feel that nurses do themselves and their patients a great disservice when they go on strike although they may have good reasons for doing so.

I don't believe in using patients as pawns to get what I want.

I would never, however, disrespect another nurses right to follow her own heart and ethical values. I would expect her to feel the same about my right to follow my own heart in the matter.

My definition of a "scab" is tissue that forms at a site to form healing. I would not be in the least bit intimidated about crossing a picket line if others called me a scab. I would not hesitate to cross the line to care for the patients who need me, especially as I work in a highly specialized area.

I am there for my patients and to care for my patients......not to appease a group of nurses who are angry and choose to solve problems by walking away from them and going on strike. I think it takes much more professionalism and guts to stay there and work together solving the problems with other nurses and not with union organizers who aren't nurses.

Also, when you walk away, the hospital just hires "scabs" to come in and they make big pay and you get none.........so what's so great about going on strike? DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO ME.

http://www.onevoice-ourvoice.com

psnurse · Nov 25, 2003

Should nurses be allowed to strike? Absolutely! This is a personal choice each nurse must make. When the choice is made they must also be prepared to live with the consequences this may cause in their life.

You see, I am currently a scab. Not by virtue of working for a company that supplies nurses to hospitals when a nursing strike occurs, but because I continue to cross a picket line where a number of our nurses are on strike. I would do it again.

I hear the complaints and I have objectively looked at them. I find the complaints to be invalid. It took almost a year for the complaints to be uniform across all the strikers. Before that it was a collection of personal agendas. The contract proposals are so transparent you can almost tell who suggested them.

I listen to the mantra of collective voice and have to chuckle to myself. How in the world is splitting the nursing voice between competing unions a collective nursing voice? It seems almost comical. Besides, the lack of voice is not really the problem I perceive, a lack of knowledge about how to efffectively use the voice nursing has is the root of the problem and not likely to be solved by union tactics.

As I said, a nursing strike is in progress where I am employed. From experience, this strike has done more to divide the nursing voice than one could hope to repair in a lifetime.

The crux of the matter seems to be union security. Don't laugh they actually admit this. I don't see how this has anything to do with patient care or working conditions or nursing. That issue is purely about the union. The way I see it, the constitution provides for freedom of association, but if the freedom to refrain from association is not also implied, freedom of association itself is a worthless tenet.

Good luck as you debate this matter. I have undertaken this as a thesis project.

roxannekkb · Nov 25, 2003

Originally posted by stevielynn
This is a more complex question than yes or no, for me.

Of course a nurse should be able to strike. We don't live in a dictatorship. Every person needs to listen to their own conscience and this should NOT be legislated.

I would never go on strike however.

steph

But are you then willing to accept the benefits granted as a result of the nurses who did go on strike?

Every nurse has the right to decide whether or not to strike, but when pay is raised, benefits increased, etc., as a direct result of the strike--shouldn't the nurses who don't believe in striking refuse them?

Afterall, these victories would not have been achieved without the strike--as strikes only occur as an absolute last resort measure, when negotiations have completely broken down and management refuses to budge. And nurses who continue to work during a strike weaken the effort, rather than support the ones who are fighting for better working conditions.

I am just curious what you all think. I was involved in a strike once, and there were several nurses who condemned the strikers, talked on and on about a nurse's responsibilities to the patient (the hospital had ample warning to stop admitting new patients and to start tranferring out patients), etc., and continued to work with scabs brought it. The hospital eventually gave in to 90% of the demands.

I asked one of the nurses who had lambasted strikers if she was going to accept the pay raise even though she didn't believe in the strike, thought we were wrong for standing up for ourselves, etc. Obviously, if she thought it was wrong to fight for one's rights, then it must be wrong to reap the rewards of others efforts. If we had all felt as she did, nothing would have been accomplished.

She didn't have an answer.

-jt · Nov 25, 2003

Lydia, there is a lot of info on the subject of nurses striking. Individual opinions vary greatly so if you want lots of different personal opinions, this board is a great place to get those. But if you research the topic and look at the facts, you'll see that our profession supports the opinion above. Not only does it support RNs going on strike for pt safety and workplace issues, it also supports us going on strike for ourselves - for things like fair wages adn other conditions of employment.

excerpt from the national Code of Nurse Ethics - developed & published by the American Nurses Association:

"#6. The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action."

http://www.ana.org/ethics/ecode.htm

(A strike is a "collective action").

Also, there is the national Bill Of Rights for Registered Nurses - developed and adopted by the American Nurses Association in 2001:

1. Nurses have the right to practice in a manner that fulfills their obligations to society and to those who receive nursing care.

2. Nurses have the right to practice in environments that allow them to act in accordance with professional standards and legally authorized scopes of practice.

3. Nurses have the right to a work environment that supports and facilitates ethical practice, in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Nurses and its interpretive statements.

4. Nurses have the right to freely and openly advocate for themselves and their patients, without fear of retribution.

5. Nurses have the right to fair compensation for their work, consistent with their knowledge, experience, and professional responsibilities.

6. Nurses have the right to a work environment that is safe for their patients and themselves.

7. Nurses have the right to negotiate the conditions of their employment, either as individuals or collectively, in all practice settings.

http://nursingworld.org/ajn/2001/nov/ajn_iu11.htm

And finally, the American Nurses Association's position on RN's unionizing:

"The American Nurses Association (ANA) promotes union representation (collective bargaining) of nurses by Constituent Member Nurses Associations (CMAs) because the implementation of nursing practice depends a great deal on the environment in which nurses practice and the quality of work life. As the health care industry continues to change, and hospitals restructure the delivery of care in response to that change, it is more important than ever that the collective voice of nurses is heard. There is no better vehicle for making that happen than collective bargaining through your professional association. Nurses representing nurses enhance quality nursing care.

Collective Bargaining Is Your RIGHT!

As a professional nurse you have a big stake in the quality of health care your patients receive. As an employee, you deserve a fair wage and good working conditions. You can have a real voice in all of these issues as a member of a collective bargaining unit of your state nurses association (SNA).

It is illegal for an employer to interfere with an employee's right to organize. As a professional employee you have a legal right to:

* Organize with your colleagues to elect your SNA as your bargaining representative and to bargain collectively with your employer.

* Negotiate your economic and professional concerns through the collective bargaining process.

* Obtain a written agreement between your employer and your bargaining representative.

Is Collective Bargaining Professional?

Collective Bargaining is a Professional Imperative!

One of the primary responsibilities of all professional nurses is to advocate for safe quality care for patients. Steps nurses can take to insure quality patient care include:

* Participate in workplace decisions affecting nursing care.

* Acquire the resources needed to perform your job effectively.

* Safeguard the standards of practice set by the profession.

* Protect employment rights and secure terms and conditions of employment to attract and retain qualified personnel.

Advocating for quality care is becoming increasingly difficult for nurses in today's environment of restructuring and mergers, where cost often comes before quality care. Many nurses find that working collectively, through a contract, to ensure a voice in the workplace is one of the most effective ways to protect themselves, their profession, and their patients.

Collective bargaining is the most effective way you and your nurse colleagues can protect patients from inadequate and unsafe care.

Collective bargaining IS professional.

Nurses have a LEGAL RIGHT to use the collective bargaining process to protect their professionalism.

http://www.ana.org/dlwa/barg/index.htm

###

Strikes are part of the collective bargaining process, so yes, according to the ANA, nurses do have the right to strike and sometimes may have the obligation to do so to protect themselves and their patients.

Incidentally, strikes dont just happen. The administration is given many weeks notice that it may be coming. And if the nurses do decide to take a vote for a strike, the administration is notified in advance of the date that they will be voting. At any point the hospital can say "now wait a minute - lets talk - maybe we can work this out". If they do that, a strike can be averted. A strike doesnt just start as soon as it is voted on. After the vote, the administration is then given notice that the RNs voted to strike and the hospital is given the opportunity to respond. They can choose to come back to negotiations & talk fairly. In that case the strike is put on hold and may never even happen. But if the hospital chooses to ignore the vote, they are given another 10 day notice to prepare for the strike and move pts out to other facilities. That 10 day notice is required by law and is given in every RN strike. A nurses strike is a carefully structured, regulated action - well planned for by both the nurses and the administration. There is absolutely no reason why nurses should not be allowed to exercise their legal right to strike.

RNPD · Nov 25, 2003

Thanks, jt. As usual, a professional response using factual info and not gut reaction or personal agendas. Every nurse in this country needs to educate her/himself as to our true rights and responsibilities, not only to our patients but also to ourselves. This would put the nursing profession on its way to the autonomous and professional group we need to be in order to give our patients the best possible and available care-which is the right of every patient.

Obviously I agree with the position of the ANA; nurses have both the right and the obligation to strike if needed in order to provide excellent patient care and to provide the profession with the respect both financially and intangibly that we deserve.

Gomer · Nov 25, 2003

Of course anyone should be free to strike. It's called Employment At Will. If you aren't happy with your job, or working conditions, or whatever you should have the right to say so and move on if necessary. And conversely, if management is not happy with your performance, management should be able to terminate you.

-jt · Nov 26, 2003

Lydia, heres a couple of articles that were posted in another thread about a nurses strike. They might help explain a few things that you can use in your debate:

"Nurses strike over STANDARDS"

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/7344078.htm

and

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/columnists/7281135.htm

and

"When A Nurse Goes On Strike"

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=579563&highlight=spotlight+on+union+RNs+when+nurses+strike#post579563

fergus51 · Nov 26, 2003

Originally posted by Gomer
Of course anyone should be free to strike. It's called Employment At Will. If you aren't happy with your job, or working conditions, or whatever you should have the right to say so and move on if necessary. And conversely, if management is not happy with your performance, management should be able to terminate you.

And unfortunately, with this attitude nothing ever changes at the facility. I have been involved in labor disputes, and have made the decision to move on. I am glad to have the right to do either.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 26, 2003

Originally posted by roxannekkb
But are you then willing to accept the benefits granted as a result of the nurses who did go on strike?

Every nurse has the right to decide whether or not to strike, but when pay is raised, benefits increased, etc., as a direct result of the strike--shouldn't the nurses who don't believe in striking refuse them?

Afterall, these victories would not have been achieved without the strike--as strikes only occur as an absolute last resort measure, when negotiations have completely broken down and management refuses to budge. And nurses who continue to work during a strike weaken the effort, rather than support the ones who are fighting for better working conditions.

I am just curious what you all think. I was involved in a strike once, and there were several nurses who condemned the strikers, talked on and on about a nurse's responsibilities to the patient (the hospital had ample warning to stop admitting new patients and to start tranferring out patients), etc., and continued to work with scabs brought it. The hospital eventually gave in to 90% of the demands.

I asked one of the nurses who had lambasted strikers if she was going to accept the pay raise even though she didn't believe in the strike, thought we were wrong for standing up for ourselves, etc. Obviously, if she thought it was wrong to fight for one's rights, then it must be wrong to reap the rewards of others efforts. If we had all felt as she did, nothing would have been accomplished.

She didn't have an answer.

Of COURSE they will. Why NOT accept the bennies on the backs of those who would do the striking?? It's so MORALLY CORRECT to stand on "ethics" and cry "patient abandonment" and decry us as traitors, etc.....BUT how easy is it to turn down the goodies the ones who struck GOT for them? I think those who would condemn us or scab in our place SHOULD NOT BENEFIT, that is MY answer.

RNPD · Nov 26, 2003

Thanks again, jt, for those articles. They were right on the money, and I just sent off an email saying so & thanking that reporter. I urge others here of like mind to do the same. If we can get the interest of enough people who have access to the public ear, it will go far to get public opinion on our side. And that will certainly be a great beginning to solving this mess once and for all.

RNPD · Nov 26, 2003

BTW, I agree-those who find striking so morally reprehensible should refuse to accept any improvements in salary or benefits that might be won during a strike. I personally have yet to see that happen-and am quite sure I never will.

-jt · Nov 26, 2003

quoting myself here to add a PS:

The arguments about "pt abandonment", "RN responsibility", and such during a nurses strike just dont fly. The hospitals have enough advance notice to either avert the strike or move their pts out before it starts. Its the HOSPITALS responsibility. The ball is in their court after they have been notified. Some administrators choose to keep the pts there no matter what happens & carry on business as usual to keep revenue (and profit) flowing in. THEY are the ones putting pts in jeopardy - its not the striking nurses.

The hospital in PA where the nurses are currently on strike apparently used its 10 day notice properly - unlike other facilities who ignore the nurses & the situation. This hospital in PA reduced its census to just 50-60 pts - in the whole place. And it has at least 50 out-of-state scabs that have been brought in. Soooo, since those "replacements" have to work 6-7 days in a row to make the big strike bucks in ot, even if just 20 of them are working each 12 hr shift, thats a pt ratio of just 3 pts per RN. How can anyone claim the pts are being harmed with ratios like that? The place never had it so good. Interesting how the hospital can pay for safe staffing ratios for scabs but refuses to provide just half-way decent ratios for its own staff RNs who arent even asking for as good a ratio as the replacements have been given. If the staff RNs had ratios half as good as their replacements do right now, the strike wouldnt be happening.